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**Bill O'Neal1** · 03-22-2005, 11:35 PM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

I would try the rectifier before I bought an MPEM.......... Big difference in price and you will probably need one sooner or later if you keep the ski.

**1fastski.com** · 03-22-2005, 11:49 PM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

800 bucks for a stator job , iam going to start printing these post so i can show my customers when they complain about my prices lol { and i fix the ski }

if your friend still has his ski , swap out his rectifire and see if your problem goes away :-)

**David3aces** · 03-23-2005, 09:58 AM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

The manufacturer is taking all the fun out of it with these features!

**patsplat** · 03-27-2005, 12:04 AM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

My friend that had that problem was pretty much so disgusted with his five trips to the dealer and the final tab for all the repairs that he sold the ski. To make it worse he was basically out of commission for a month and a half out of a typical 3 month Indiana boating season. I can understand his feelings on the subject because I myself have had other unresolved warranty issues and countless trips to my dealer. My over all experience with SeaDoo has not been that good. I really like riding the ski when all is well but also wonder if I'm sitting on a $1K repair bill time bomb myself.

It's just a toy!

My original Jet-Ski was a Kawasaki 650 stand-up and it was very simple and easy to work on. That being said I hardly did anything to it other than install batteries over the years and replace a cracked oil tank. It was simple and I never felt like it was too complicated or there would ever be anything I couldn't fix myself. This SeaDoo with it's overly complicated electronics that can only be accessed with proprietary software and equipment and poor dealer service is not very comforting.

I figure I'll purchase the rectifier....cross my fingers and hope it fixes it....then sell it!!

**patsplat** · 04-21-2005, 09:58 AM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm (could I be so lucky??)

An update to my story:

I put my SeaDoo on the water last weekend (first time in 2005) with a voltage meter strapped down to the hood with pigtails connected to last years battery. After a little warm up time time (first time out in 6 months) I decided to launch from the trailer. At about 3000rpm the voltage regulator stopped at 13.8v and was stable. Then after taking the RPM's above 5500 the engine cut out and would die if held at WOT. The meter was still at 13.8v up until after the engine cut out. Never got the familiar 12v LOW alarm.

I wanted to eliminate any bad battery issues that might not allow enough electrical current to drive the fuel pump and fuel injection so I purchased a new battery (I usually purchase one every year anyways). The new battery voltage was 12.8 vs the old battery at 12.6. After installing the new battery and running the ski on the water it appeared the regulator maxed out at 13.8 much faster (at lower RPM) and the ski ran fine at WOT for several minutes. It was repeatable and ran perfectly in every regard. I did notice the new battery didn't dive as low after repeated restarts. It never dropped below 11v...the old battery would occasionally go down to 10v for a few seconds after just one restart.

So for the moment the ski seems to be running fine. No 12V LOW errors on either battery this season so far.

Could I be so lucky as to only having a flaky battery? A battery that was only two months old when all my 12v LOW errors started last year.

I guess only time will tell if the 12v LOW alarms are gone for good.

I figure I'll follow Bill's advise and purchase the new rectifier/regulator and be prepared. It looks like about a 10 min install.

Thanks for the input...

Pat

**Technical Support** · 04-21-2005, 10:27 AM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

You aren't running off the battery when the engine is running, it's running off the stator/regulator. A fauly cell in a battery certainly can screw with the charge of the battery or operation of the ski though.

**patsplat** · 04-21-2005, 10:56 AM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

It's probably my imagination but the fuel pump seemed louder and faster and the starter seemed to hit a little harder. Overall the ski seemed more lively and the exhaust note seemed cleaner without the occasional misfire or sputter.

Like I say it's probably my imagination.

**Technical Support** · 04-21-2005, 11:10 AM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

If the first battery was low/bad, then the starter and fuel pump would be faster/louder, as it IS running off the battery at that point. More voltage=more speed.

**Bill O'Neal2** · 04-21-2005, 11:37 AM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

It is running off of the battery, not the stator.
From the oem service manual " The MPEM is directly powered by the battery. " Then it states " The MPEM distributes power from the battery to all accessories." " IMPORTANT: The sensors and injectors are continiously powered with the supply from the battery. The MPEM switches the ground to complete the electrical circuits it controls. Take this into account when trouble shooting the electrical system."

The ignition system consists of different sub-systems where some are interrelated.
Unregulated AC current is produced by the magneto. Part of the AC current is recitfied and regulated for the charging system.
A 12 volt battery supplies the MPEM with DC current.

Regulator/rectifier:
The rectifier recieves AC current from the magneto and transforms it to DC current.
The regulator, included in the same unit, limits voltage at a maximum level (14.5 to 14.8 volts ) to prevent damage to components.
The unit is using a 3 phase in series rectifier/regulator which transforms AC from the magneto into DC to allow battery charging.
The battery is the DC source for the electric starter, the MPEM and all accessories.

If the battery is regularly discharged, check the fuse condition.
The rectifier/regulator could be the cause of a blown fuse. To check,simply disconnect the rectifier/regulator from the circuit.
The charging system is protected by two fuses.
If the fuse still burns, check for a defective wire.
DI:
a 25 amp fuse is mounted on the MPEM and a 30 amp fuse in the rear electrical box.

All PWC's that use a DC/CDI ignition are using the battery as the primary source of power for their ignitions. Magnetos produce AC power and it must be converted into DC power to run the CDI. That is why a pwc motor will run with only a battery, but will not run without a battery. If you unplug the rectifier/regulator, you have disconnected the magneto from the system and the motor will still run off the battery as well as all the electrically operated components, like the starter motor, sensors, fuel pump and injectors on the DI motor.

**Technical Support** · 04-21-2005, 11:40 AM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

Wow I had never heard that before - thanks!

**patsplat** · 04-21-2005, 12:01 PM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

Bill I saw that statement in the manual about the regulator limiting the voltage at a maximum level of 14.5 to 14.8 volts. I could swear I saw 14.5 on my ski last year.

Do you know what the typical output is? 14.5 to 14.8 is the MAX. The manual doesn't state the minimum to be expected.

Is my 13.8volts a little on the low side possibly???

Your statement about the MPEM switching on the ground side was interesting and explains a few things.....it all makes more sense.

Thanks!

**Bill O'Neal2** · 04-21-2005, 12:16 PM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

Replace the battery if old and check it again. Also remove and clean or replace both fuses I mentioned.

A usually good rectifier/regulator will have an output around 14 V or more, with 15 Volts being too much and if 15 V, should be replaced.

My guess is 13.8 is marginally on the low end of the scale, but try the new battery with cleaned (or better yet, new) fuses before you swap rectifiers.

**patsplat** · 05-14-2005, 11:45 PM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

Bill all my fuses look like brand new....as does the rest of my heated garage kept 120 hour ski.

I now have a new twist to my story.

It has been cold here in Indiana for a few weeks we finally had a nice 88 degree day and I decided to take my SeaDoo out again. I still had my voltage meter attached and notice that I was not getting my usual 13.8 volts with the engine running. Only about 13.5 or so. I backed off the trailer and rode it at about 4500rpm for several minutes and the ski seemed to run fine until I opened it up to near WOT and it cut out again after about 1 minute above 5500rpm. I blipped the throttle a few times and recovered the engine back to a weakly running 3000rpm and proceeded back the the trailer. I then noticed my volt meter was only showing 5 volts and it very slowly recovered to around 12 volts.

My first question is why I'm I not getting the original 12V Low Alarm any more?

Second with the stator checking out good at 70volts per phase, no short circuits and the regulator never exceeding 14.5 as the book says. Would a faulty rectifier/regulator be causing the voltage to dive down to 5 ?!? (it seems to be regulating overvolting OK)

Third at only 5 volts how is the computer and the fuel injection even running in the first place???

I'm expecting a new rectifier/regulator will not fix my problem.

Pat

**patsplat** · 05-21-2005, 12:13 PM

Re: 2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

I've been told by a former SeaDoo mechanic that Bambardier has had an ongoing problem with stators in their watercraft and four wheelers.

Has anybody else run heard of this problem?

Are there any aftermarket options??

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2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

2002 GTX DI 12V Low Alarm

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